Not speaking our parents’ native language fluently is not a result of our personal failures but rather the result of our circumstances and upbringing, argues Alexander Chao PO ‘25.
Tag: Language
Assorted novelties: Ocean Vuong wants to let books live
Book columnist Anna Solomon PZ ’23 praises Ocean Vuong’s “On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous” for its regeneration of language.
OPINION: Unnecessary complexity is ruining academic writing; it’s up to us to save it
Academic writing is plagued by inaccessible language and jargon that raises up walls around academia, says Ryan Lillestrand PZ ’23.
OPINION: Speaking multiple languages should be a requirement, not a bonus
Speaking multiple languages opens doors to new experiences across the world and should be a requirement of education.
OPINION: Americans need to stop brushing off foreign languages
Some Americans today look to European-style government as the solution to our domestic challenges. But adopting aspects of their education system, specifically their focus on teaching foreign languages, ought to be far less controversial. While standards vary from country to country, the average European student begins to study their first
OPINION: Edit and Delete: How Standard English grammar promotes silence
Things that make my skin crawl: nails on a chalkboard, loud gum-chewing, and hearing someone say “less” when they really should have said “fewer.” With a former English professor for a mother, my latter pet peeve makes sense; ‘proper’ grammar has always come easily and been important to me. As
Oldenborg Center renovation to start as early as 2020
Renovations for Pomona College’s Oldenborg Center, a 5C language hall, dining hall, and academic administrative office is in the works, with demolition of the building starting as early as 2020, according to Anne Dwyer, faculty director of Oldenborg. Reconstruction after that could take up to 18 months. There have been
OPINION: Stop belittling mental health issues in everyday conversation
CW: Discussion of mental health issues, depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder “My final exam grade has me depressed.” “This movie is seriously giving me anxiety right now.” “My mom is so bipolar. I can’t stand her.” It’s likely that you’ve heard something similar to one of the phrases above before. It